The former Disney star has traded in his Mickey Mouse ears for a more mature look and sound. And while the singer in many ways hasn't changed -- "the core of who I am is the same," he told us -- there's no question he's taking steps to shake his former Jonas Brothers image.

"It’s definitely a progression for me," Nick told MTV News when asked about this new chapter in his life. "I really wanted to push myself, work with some people that would help me grow and, you know, I kind of came to a place where I said, look, I’ve already had a full career at the age of 21-years-old and I get to start over and this is really cool and really approach it as a new artist."

Nick said he dove in and got lost in this new music, pulling inspiration from all around him, including an upcoming acting project for DirecTV, his girlfriend Olivia Culpo and his relationship with his family.

"Just some things that are going on in my life, you know, I’m talking about love, I’m talking about heartbreak, a big theme for me in this is trust, and fear," he explained. "The story behind 'Chains' is basically that feeling that all people can relate to, its being trapped. For me specifically in this song, I connected to love and trust and for some people they have said its broader for them, its more than love, it can be about anything that entangles you in your life and doesn’t let you do what you need to do to feel free."